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The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hotspot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic

The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hotspot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic
The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hotspot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic
The contribution of ice sheets to the global biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus is largely unknown, due to the lack of field data. Here we present the first comprehensive study of phosphorus export from two Greenland Ice Sheet glaciers. Our results indicate that the ice sheet is a hot spot of phosphorus export in the Arctic. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations, up to 0.35?µM, are similar to those observed in Arctic rivers. Yields of SRP are among the highest in the literature, with denudation rates of 17–27?kg?P?km?2?yr?1. Particulate phases, as with nonglaciated catchments, dominate phosphorus export (>97% of total phosphorus flux). The labile particulate fraction differs between the two glaciers studied, with significantly higher yields found at the larger glacier (57.3 versus 8.3?kg?P?km?2?yr?1). Total phosphorus yields are an order of magnitude higher than riverine values reported in the literature. We estimate that the ice sheet contributes ~15% of total bioavailable phosphorus input to the Arctic oceans (~11?Gg?yr?1) and dominates total phosphorus input (408?Gg?yr?1), which is more than 3 times that estimated from Arctic rivers (126?Gg?yr?1). We predict that these fluxes will rise with increasing ice sheet freshwater discharge in the future.
biogeochemistry, glaciology, cryosphere, nutrient cycles, phosphorus, nutrient export
0886-6236
191-210
Hawkings, Jon
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Wadham, Jemma
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Tranter, Martyn
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Telling, Jon
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Bagshaw, Elizabeth
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Beaton, Alexander
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Simmons, Sarah-Louise
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Chandler, David
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Tedstone, Andrew
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Nienow, Peter
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Hawkings, Jon
0bdb224b-872a-44d2-9f22-3b09a9e69694
Wadham, Jemma
6bb72698-4d22-4e1b-baad-48c06859b1e5
Tranter, Martyn
42ff1b9c-b38f-4943-ab73-2c2d71d2c48b
Telling, Jon
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Bagshaw, Elizabeth
90fcd255-0aa8-4b04-8111-4f07a7c68d33
Beaton, Alexander
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Simmons, Sarah-Louise
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Chandler, David
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Tedstone, Andrew
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Nienow, Peter
4c0b4259-8db5-4c11-9887-5f3e93abd41e

Hawkings, Jon, Wadham, Jemma, Tranter, Martyn, Telling, Jon, Bagshaw, Elizabeth, Beaton, Alexander, Simmons, Sarah-Louise, Chandler, David, Tedstone, Andrew and Nienow, Peter (2016) The Greenland Ice Sheet as a hotspot of phosphorus weathering and export in the Arctic. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 30 (2), 191-210. (doi:10.1002/2015GB005237).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The contribution of ice sheets to the global biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus is largely unknown, due to the lack of field data. Here we present the first comprehensive study of phosphorus export from two Greenland Ice Sheet glaciers. Our results indicate that the ice sheet is a hot spot of phosphorus export in the Arctic. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations, up to 0.35?µM, are similar to those observed in Arctic rivers. Yields of SRP are among the highest in the literature, with denudation rates of 17–27?kg?P?km?2?yr?1. Particulate phases, as with nonglaciated catchments, dominate phosphorus export (>97% of total phosphorus flux). The labile particulate fraction differs between the two glaciers studied, with significantly higher yields found at the larger glacier (57.3 versus 8.3?kg?P?km?2?yr?1). Total phosphorus yields are an order of magnitude higher than riverine values reported in the literature. We estimate that the ice sheet contributes ~15% of total bioavailable phosphorus input to the Arctic oceans (~11?Gg?yr?1) and dominates total phosphorus input (408?Gg?yr?1), which is more than 3 times that estimated from Arctic rivers (126?Gg?yr?1). We predict that these fluxes will rise with increasing ice sheet freshwater discharge in the future.

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Published date: February 2016
Keywords: biogeochemistry, glaciology, cryosphere, nutrient cycles, phosphorus, nutrient export
Organisations: Ocean Technology and Engineering

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Local EPrints ID: 387049
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/387049
ISSN: 0886-6236
PURE UUID: d1fa6384-b115-48db-a972-e1aaef970b83

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Date deposited: 08 Feb 2016 10:38
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 22:42

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Contributors

Author: Jon Hawkings
Author: Jemma Wadham
Author: Martyn Tranter
Author: Jon Telling
Author: Elizabeth Bagshaw
Author: Alexander Beaton
Author: Sarah-Louise Simmons
Author: David Chandler
Author: Andrew Tedstone
Author: Peter Nienow

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